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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25989154">and the world continues to spin</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/munbun/pseuds/munbun'>munbun</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sky: Children of the Light (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 12:27:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,681</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25989154</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/munbun/pseuds/munbun</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>I don't have a name.<br/>I have a candle.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>There is a gate.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I don’t have a name.<br/>
<br/>
I have a candle.<br/>
<br/>
The wax is red. It drips steadily down my fingers, but it does not grow any shorter. The flame is small and steady, and I feel it pulse with my breath. It is bright. It illuminates the night, lifting the cover of darkness from my immediate surroundings and basking the rest in mystery.<br/>
<br/>
I cannot put the candle down. When I hold the candle out and let go, it shatters into a million motes of light before it can touch the ground. The light flies into my chest. I feel my candle, burning still, in my chest.<br/>
<br/>
I am home. There are no comforts here. There is rough, dark stone underneath my hands and knees, and a cold breeze whips off the sea from all directions. I am alone, in the darkness, and I am home.<br/>
<br/>
There is a gate. I rise on steady, yet uncertain, feet and walk towards it. The land beyond glows lavender. The grass underfoot dances in the breeze that whispers through the dark stone gate. I step through.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. isle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The cave walls tell me a story.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I am on a beach.</p><p>The grass that was previously underfoot is now gone, replaced with solid, damp sand. I look behind me, and the gate is gone. There is only the sea, infinite and dark, with starlight glittering off the gentle waves.</p><p>Looking forward again, the sand rises to a small mound, where two pillars stand stark against the morning mist. Beyond it lays a massive creature of a hill, gray and slumbering.</p><p>I walk forward, grains of sand crunching together beneath my slight weight. Tiny flowers shiver in the sands. I take the steps up the mound at a bound, like whoever these stairs were made for was much taller than I, and I am simply an unintended guest.</p><p>There is a cave mouth in the hill. It beckons me to be swallowed. I slide down the loose sand on the far side of the mound and obey. </p><p>Birds fly free of the cave in an unhurried flock. The cave walls tell me a story.</p><p>
  <i>Once upon a time, people worshiped the stars. They were infinite, stretching on through the inky sea of black. One day, the stars began to fall. The people rejoiced! The objects of their affections had descended, to grace the world with their light. They huddled close, and discovered something new: warmth.</i>
</p><p>A sheer drop waits before me. At the bottom, I see puddled water. I rest a hand on my chest, touching the flame in my chest contemplatively. Would it hurt? Would I die? Was this the end of the story?</p><p>I jump.</p><p>I land in the water. It splashes, but does not hurt. My candle does not waver. The pool curls around my knees, wetting the hem of my pants. I stare at the strange creature that molds to my form, and then continue up the steps.</p><p>The light blinds me for a moment. I step out of the cave, onto a small cliff peeking out over the beach. A boat, small enough for only a few, crashed a long time ago on a ridge of stone risen from the sea. There is someone standing there.</p><p>In the middle distance, there is a cliff, jutting out of the silvery sands. Broken boats litter the dunes. Far, far ahead, a wall of clouds blocks the sun, forcing it to come streaming through in soft spears of morning light.</p><p>There is a temple on the rise. I can see its spires rising out of the clouds, its silhouette stark and crisp. It calls me. I hop down from the cliff.</p><p>The person standing on the broken boat does not turn to greet me. They stand perfectly still, head tilted upward, staring into the blaze of sunlight. I follow their gaze. The temple calls for us all. I reach out, to help them continue their journey.</p><p>
  <i>A ship crashing. Hope lost.</i>
</p><p>Their light tears into my chest like a hungry beast. I welcome them in as their light pushes through me, out my back. On my own, I was alive. Carrying the weight of others, I could fly.</p><p>I pull my cape closer, examining the docked edges and mottled brown fabric. It’s warm and comforting, the first notion I’ve had of such concepts since I rose. I pull it close, and look at the ridge that waits for me to fail.</p><p>I crouch. I leap. I flap. I fly.</p><p>The light soars beneath me as easy and effortless as breathing. I can feel the mote of light I gained from my new soulbound companion cool, but it doesn’t disappear. I land softly by the front half of the broken ship, and rest my hand on the carved stone to steady my shaking limbs.</p><p>Light flutters around me. I stare at the dancing figures as they curl around me, granting me warmth, granting me light. The cold vanishes, and I feel safe, I feel whole again. I don’t dare try, but I know my newfound wings could carry me again, when I need them. I don’t know how often these creatures of light will tend to me. I thank the butterflies softly, and continue on.</p><p>I pass by the wreckage of a broken boat as I head for the cliff. There are jars, buried deeply in the sand. A few butterflies roam their surfaces in mourning.</p><p>The temple calls. I need to answer, but I am so weak. I am so small. I need to find a way up, as my flimsy wings won’t carry me that high and that far on their own. Perhaps if I mount my only landmark, I’ll find absolution.</p><p>Candles, their bases melted into the sandswept stone, stand in groups of three. I look at them, worried, confused. They are not like mine. They are white, and don’t carry any light. I reach inside to retrieve my candle to compare, and hold it out. See? This is what a candle is supposed to do. It’s supposed to have that glowy bit at the top, and you’re doing it all wrong.</p><p>The candles light. The story continues.</p><p>
  <i>With the stars to give them light, the people created great wonders. They made ships, piloted by their beacons of hope, and soared higher and higher, even above the clouds. They sought the light. They sought the stars.</i>
</p><p>I look to the cliff slope. My legs protest but I turn and begin my climb.</p><p>Hidden in the shadows of the dunes is another peak of stone. It climbs desperately into the sky though the wind rebuffed it, stretching out toward our mutual goal. There. Maybe, if I was strong enough, the breeze could carry me up to the waiting temple doors. I already see someone waiting for me at the tip of the peak.</p><p>I spread my cape and float down from the precipice.</p><p>I reach the base of the peak, but a barrier stands in my way. It is thin, gossamer light, an undulating film that whispered of obligations. A constellation manifests before me, tells me I am not ready. I stare through, desperately, toward the temple, but I have no option but to turn away.</p><p>A figure I hadn’t seen before knelt, huddled, in a cave nearby. Perhaps they can help me. I walk toward them, jumping a little to hasten my journey. I reach out to touch their shoulder, to get their attention, but as soon as I touch them, they fracture into blue light. I stare in mild horror, wondering what in the stars I’ve done, when I notice the lights moving further away. Then the figure reappears, just a few feet further into the cave.</p><p>I waver. Was this a trap? Was there something dangerous in that cave, with that tall figure to tempt me? I am afraid, but I simply pull my cape closer and soldier on.</p><p>I touch the figure again, and their light disappears once more, dancing away. They too read the stories on the cave walls. Swirls of clouds illuminate the dusty interior, but my eyes are fixed on my new companion, guiding me. I keep up this game of tag until suddenly, the figure stops. In their place is a corpse.</p><p>It was all it could be. I linger near the cave wall, staring at the kneeling, blackened form. Darkness choked them, until their final moments, and now I had followed their ghost. I hold out my candle, trying to illuminate their features, to give them some honor in death.</p><p>The corpse burns. Their spirit rose up from the smoke, standing before me. They should have been angry. They should have been outraged. They simply stand there for a moment, then they reach out, pointing toward the temple.</p><p>Soundlessly, I copy the motion. They nod, then disappear in a whisk of light for a final time, and I am alone again. I stare at the ashen remains of their corpse for a moment, gathering myself, before following my single direction.</p><p>I try the barrier again. This time, when I brush its surface, it gives way. The constellation has deemed me wise enough, small as I was. I pass through its film slowly, and look up the steps.</p><p>A figure of golden light waits for me here too. I clamber my way up the steps, butterflies whirring around my wings and giving me the confidence to fly. I join the small figure, staring at the light of the temple. I take their hand, and they give me their light.</p><p>
  <i>A distance too far to cross. Hope is lost.</i>
</p><p>I agonize in pain once more. The light pushes through my burning core and out my back, my wings growing stronger, shining hotter. Maybe, with their strength, I can make it to the temple, deliver them to their destination. Giving myself a moment to recover from the pain, I kneel and show the nearby white candles how to burn.</p><p>A symbol carves itself into the stone at the front of the peak, then illuminates. Two stacks I had taken for particularly shiny rocks began to turn and glow, and all at once I was surrounded by a swarm of butterflies. Maybe they, too, can lend me their light and bid me fly.</p><p>I need them, I call out to them, but my voice is too weak. I try again, louder, but it feels like a mere whisper. I crouch, and I yell, ringing the bell of my voice as fiercely and calmly as the temple that called me.</p><p>And the butterflies answer.</p><p>They pick me up with a force surprising for their size, whisking me forward, toward the temple. I panic for a moment before positioning my wings properly, still learning the currents of wind and how they hold me aloft. Soon, far too soon for my liking, the butterflies fall away, and I fly solo.</p><p>In my nervousness, I waver. As my left arm dips, so does the rest of me, sending me sliding slowly to the left. I panic, trying to lean hard into my right to correct my path and bring me back toward the temple. I am dropping now, slowly but steadily, and I calculate that if I fall much further, I won’t be able to reach the ledge the temple sat upon.</p><p>A simple beat of my wings brings me higher. I grow colder, but not as cold as I had before. I don’t fear a stiff breeze knocking my candle out. Confident, I set my eyes on the temple doors, lifting my head to smile in the waves of tolling bells.</p><p>I land softly on the dirt path leading up to the temple. Finally, there is grass again. My destination lies so close, but I can’t help but look back, to judge how far I’ve managed to go.</p><p>A light gleams back at me. Ringed in an echo of joy, a figure clad in gold sits atop the hill that held the first part of the story. They are too far, too high, I knew I’d never have a chance to reach them, not even with the newfound strength in my wings and the height I stood at now.</p><p>I would come back for them, I decide. When I was stronger.</p><p>I turn back to the temple, and enter.</p><p>The ceilings are high. More boats, carved of stone, are placed against the walls. They hang over me like a mourning parade. There are more unlit candles that I must teach how to burn. Their newfound flames illuminate artworks in the alcoves in which they sit, and I stare at these images, trying to find their meaning.</p><p>
  <i>Three temples in the clouds.</i>
</p><p>Well that’s a very short story. I can’t puzzle anything more from it, so I turn around to light the next alcove. More images burn into the stone.</p><p>
  <i>Make that six temples in the clouds.</i>
</p><p>That’s still a rather blunt narrative. I suppose I must be in one of these temples now, maybe the one with three spires. If that is so, what of the other temples? Do they have candles carrying spirits for them as well?</p><p>I turn to examine the far wall. It has a split down the middle, like it was meant to open like a door, but a bar holds it closed. Or, not quite a bar. It looks like it was carved in the shape of a boat. On one side, a figure holds a glowing offering of light up to the boat. On the other side, the figure had yet to approach, their offering dark. Slowly, I step forward, and hold my candle out.</p><p>The offering glows, and the figure surges forward. With both offerings of light in place, the boat can fly. It soars upwards, leaving the door free to swing open. The breeze, carrying scents of fresh grass and coming rain, welcomes me.</p><p>In the next room there is a short bridge over void to a statue with glowing eyes. I walk forward, feeling ancient tiles shifting under my weight, but I am not afraid. Though only clouds lay beneath me, I continue onwards.</p><p>A candle sits in front of the statue. I give it my offering of light, and kneel in prayer to this ancient being. The spirit of blue I had followed before clusters close behind me, I can feel them leaning forward, waiting eagerly for the sermon to begin. I close my eyes.</p><p>The elder is tall, bent over his staff as he hobbles away from the remains of his greatest shame. He pauses when he sees the offering of light laid out for him. He reaches his staff out, lighting the crook that gave him guidance, and rejoices in the return of life to his soul. He remembers himself, the pieces of his mask falling back into place, like memories of joy, peace, harmony. He turns, lifts his staff, and summons a flock of birds. They curl upwards, chasing bliss into the sky.</p><p>The vision fades, and I am alone in that temple. I breathe for a moment, then the statue’s blue eyes turn gold. Behind the elder, the doors push open with a great grinding of stone and dust, and the clouds wait beyond to carry me.</p><p>The spirits are not satisfied yet. They have not reached their destination yet. They want to fly, fly up with the birds, as high as high can be. I need to climb higher.</p><p>I walk slowly around the elder statue, and throw myself into the clouds.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>i started writing this half asleep, i ran through it a few times but i think there might be tense errors, plz forgive me</p><p>also i think i combined two diff editions of sky, particularly with the candles to light the bells to call the butterflies, but i ended up liking it more this way sooo</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. prairie</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>I haven’t seen anyone else alive before now.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I fly over the clouds for some time before a small oasis comes into view. I dip down, still uncertain in my wings, and scrape my feet uncomfortably against stone before I come to rest in the grass. I stand there for a moment, weak-legged, and examine my next destination.</p><p>Two great giants of stone form an almost perfect wall before me. However, as if carved by a very determined, exact hand, a narrow passageway cut through the stone. Light filters in from beyond, the beckoning gleam of the temples encouraging me on. I listen.</p><p>At its narrowest, I can reach my arms out on either side of me and touch both walls at once. I try not to think about it. The sky seems so distant, it almost chokes me. I hurry through the pass, squinting against the gleam of light.</p><p>This area is unlike others I have seen, but it is oddly familiar. The pitted recesses in the wall of stone mimic that of what I saw at home. Graves dot the bulbous forms of mounds, and all is gathered around a small pond with benches and a little island of grass.</p><p>But those things aren’t what catch my attention. Because there is someone standing there.</p><p>They stand in the center of the little island with their back to me, five stars gleaming down the back of their cape. Their pigtails drift lazily in the faint breeze. As if they can detect my gaze, they turn to look up at me, face framed by a strong square mask. We lock eyes, and do nothing for a long moment. They turn slowly, standing to face me head-on.</p><p>I haven’t seen anyone else alive before now. They are alive, I can see this. Though they are roughly the same height as the other imprints of Children of Light, they are whole. They are burning. Cautiously, I walk toward the edge of the small ledge I stand on, and hop down.</p><p>We stare curiously, silently, at one another across the small moat of water. They make an odd motion with their hand- lifting it by their head and wagging it back and forth, left to right and left again. I fiddle with the edge of my cape, nervous, and they come closer. They hold their candle out.</p><p>I take out my own candle, trying to show them no, I am very much already lit, I’m not in need of more light. When our flames cross, however, their form comes into full vibrancy. Their cape billows with a bright shock of yellow, and their eyes crinkle up in amusement at my bewilderment. They tuck their candle away, then reach inside their cape, pulling out another candle- a white one, this time. They kneel down, holding the candle aloft to me, offering it to me.</p><p>As I cautiously reach out to take their offering, our bond is carved in the stars.</p><p>I now know this person is Azej. They stand as our bond finishes tying itself, and hold their hands out to mine. I look down at my hands, then at theirs, and fit them together, like pieces of a puzzle. It feels warm. It feels right. They squeeze my hands gently, then let go of one, leading me on.</p><p>They walk me around the small pond, and to the next ledge. These steps are shorter, more suited to our proportions, and each step sends a shockwave of belonging up my body. I look down at a tunnel through the clouds, where a procession of spires peering out of the mists guides our paths. I look at Azej nervously, who simply gives me a reassuring nod. They crouch, and jump into the waiting abyss.</p><p>The clouds feel cold, but Azej is warm beside me. I hold tight to their hand as the winds courses under our wings, sending us hurtling forward with almost frightening speed. Still, Azej smiles. I wish I shared their confidence.</p><p>We land on a soft diamond of dirt among a cheerful meadow of grass. The wind drags fingers through the fields, until the very earth itself seems to breathe beneath us. Where a stalwart cliff rises on the left, clouds spiral lazily on the right, obscuring what lay beyond. In the distance, a large round formation rose out of the earth. It looked as if a bubble had formed right under the earth’s surface, and pressed up until it seemed fit to burst. Did someone build this? Was this someone’s home?</p><p>Azej gives me a moment to get my bearings before gently leading me on, down the path. Our feet thump pleasantly on the solid soil, while I admire the butterflies flitting among the flowers. It was so beautiful here. I want to express that exhilaration to Azej, after the forlorn emptiness of the Isle, but there was nothing I could say. We walk on.</p><p>We come to a small hill rising out of the ground, with an entry carved into the stone. Peering curiously, I can see that the light emanating from its depths is from a spirit, clad in gold. Another spirit, in need of my help! I point at the cave eagerly, and Azej seems delighted at my attempt to express myself. They let go of my hand and rush forward, delving into the depths of the cave. I follow them, working my legs as fast as I can to beat them to our mutual finish line.</p><p>Which is, of course, when I smack face-first into the barrier.</p><p>I fall back with a startled honk, landing hard on the rock. Azej mirrors the sound in shock, rushing forward and passing through the barrier with ease to join me by my side. They lay a hand on my forehead, checking for injury, then pad around me to check my wings. I simply sit there in shock, wishing I could express my frustration, my embarrassment, but I have nothing to convey the way I feel.</p><p>When I don’t do anything, Azej moves around me, kneeling in front of me in the small alcove. They take my hand, but I shake it off, looking away bitterly. They stare at me for a moment more, before taking out another white candle, holding it aloft. I stare at the pale comfort for a moment, before I reach out, to take it.</p><p>Our bond burns stronger. I can feel the surge of their flame against mine. They’re proud of me, they enjoy my company, even when I think myself a fool. I look at the spirit trapped out of my reach, a constellation barring my entry. When I look back at Azej, they’re holding a hand up, an open invitation.</p><p>My shoulders slump, and I reach forward to clap my hand against theirs, finishing the high five. It’s simple, but it makes me feel better, well enough to stand and offer my hand to Azej. They take it happily, letting me take the lead instead of trying to rush on ahead.</p><p>I continue down the path. There’s another cave under a hill, but I’m wiser now. I slow as I approach, and the barrier reveals itself to me, holding me back from an odd bounty within: a large huddled mass of red candles. I stare with worry, taking out my own red candle. Were those… A form of corpse? A marker of children who didn’t make it? I had seen plenty of white candles, but never red like my own or Azej’s.</p><p>As if sensing my concern, Azej gently tugs for control, and leads me over to a smaller bunch of candles, melted onto the surface of a stone. They wave their hand toward them, and I approach, holding my hand out to the flame as they showed me. I jump in surprise as bits of light come flying from the candles flames, sinking straight into my chest. It isn’t much, but I feel fuller somehow. I look at Azej for an explanation, but they simply point to our next destination: a blue spirit, knelt beneath the arch of the great bubble of earth.</p><p>I oblige, but a structure beside the path catches my eye. It’s a semicircle of stone, with white candle stubs burnt to rivers on their surfaces. The spirit won’t be moving on without me, so I let go of Azej’s hand, kneeling by the candles. I’m not sure what I’m doing or how I know to do it, but I focus light into my hands, pressing them to the stone. I mold the form of a candle on the stone, and Azej’s eyes widen.</p><p>i am glad i am not alone.</p><p>The sentiment is baked into the candle itself. Azej comes closer, their fingertips trailing across the stone surface, before they attempt solidifying a thought on the stone surface as well. I watch them ponder and work, trying to get their candle just right. I shift closer, watching them work over their shoulder.</p><p>Im so glad to have a friend!</p><p>A friend. I am a friend. The thought is nearly overwhelming. Shakily, I hold up a hand to Azej, offering a high five. They give a delighted honk, and high five me back, but just as quickly, they hold out another white candle. Their kindness nearly overwhelming me, I take the offering, deepening our bond. Their deeper emotions surge over me. I feel the pang of loneliness, of days spent frolicking in the prairie completely alone. An understanding that this world and its creatures were beautiful, but there was no one to share it with.</p><p>I changed that for them. I lay a hand over the pain in my chest, wondering how they could have bared to carry it alone. They hold their arms out to me, and I fall into them, hugging them tightly. Our candles press close together, their joined halos of light ringing with joy where we intertwine. In that moment, the despair of our fallen world edges into the backdrop, and I feel safe.</p><p>We don’t leave the embrace for a long while. The knowledge of the waiting spirit rests on my mind, however, and I rise to meet them. I walk up slowly, Azej following after me, collecting the light from the five candles beside the spirit before awakening them. I watch their memory chase after butterflies, so blissfully free. I realize that whatever this construction was, it must have been full of jars of butterflies. Now, only a couple empty jars sit on the ground, half buried in the grass.</p><p>The spirit shows me how they used to charm the butterflies into perching on their hand. Azej and I copy the motion, standing perfectly still as the butterflies meander around us. Eventually, they seem to get curious, landing on our hands to see if we hold any treats to offer them. I don’t dare breathe, but Azej gives an excited honk, scaring our butterflies away. I stare at them, and they giggle apologetically.</p><p>I honk at them for scaring the butterflies away. They return the sound, deeper, longer. I do the same. They honk louder. I honk as loud as I can. The butterflies chirp, and swirl around me to whisk me into the air, much to Azej’s concern. They honk at me as I drift away, but I turn my head up, looking to see where the butterflies were taking me.</p><p>They slid me through a hole on the ceiling, setting me down gently on the grassy roof. I peer through the hole at Azej down below, who flies up to me with just a few beats of their wings. They land softly in front of me, grabbing my shoulders and looking me over as if to make sure I wasn’t injured in the short flight. I hug them to reassure them, and they give a fluttery laugh, glad to see me safe.</p><p>The embrace doesn’t last long though, as they pull away to look at something over my shoulder. I turn to follow their gaze, and they point at a spirit clad in gold, waiting for me. I nod at Azej gratefully and move forward to collect my third spirit.</p><p>A fall too high. Hope is lost.</p><p>This spirit doesn’t hurt as much. Their soul sinks into mine, but doesn’t push out my back as the others have. I twist, trying to see the back of my cape, wondering why it hadn’t changed. I look at Azej, silently asking if I’d done something wrong. They shrug, as clueless as I am, and hold a hand out to me. I take their hand, letting them lead me off the edge of the butterfly pantry, but I can’t help but look back at that spirit, thinking. Maybe I would reach a point where the weight of the spirits’ despair outweighed the hope they gave me. The thought of that made me feel a little cold inside.</p><p>Azej honks to get my attention. I shake myself out of my stupor and look up at them, then towards the candles that they’re gesturing towards. I give a surprised honk and hustle forward, ushering the motes of light into my cape. They fill up a tiny well inside of me, and though I’m still not sure what they do, I know Azej wants me to collect as many as I can.</p><p>Azej keeps walking me along as I get the wax sorted away. They point at another imprint, and I hesitate, fiddling with Azej’s hand. I look up at them, concerned, and they seem confused by my reluctance. I glance at the five stars glittering on Azej’s back, and steel myself. I can handle another spirit. It isn’t going to kill me. Azej was proof of that. I reach out and take hold of the spirit’s hand.</p><p>Pain radiating from a clumsy fall. Hope is lost.</p><p>I shudder, as if trying to shake off the memory of pain as the spirit sinks into me. Again, my cape doesn’t grow any stronger, but Azej is whisking me away before I can worry about it for very long. They walk me through an archway, and give a disappointed honk as they look around.</p><p>I examine the surroundings, trying to guess what could upset them. There are three medium sized islands rising out of the clouds, with a smaller one between them. Each medium island has a stout tower on top, ending in a gleaming dark point. Beyond the medium island was a sharp rise cut out of the clouds, and then a very large island, holding the next temple. The temple tolled, inviting me inside. Finding nothing really out of place, I look at Azej, chirping to ask what was wrong.</p><p>Instead of answering, Azej takes flight, whisking me off to the small island. They crouch down, examining some sigils carved into the rock. I tilt my head, trying to make sense of the carvings. It looks like the shape of wings, with a long tail. There are three circles inside the wings, but I can’t help but notice that the sigil is unlit. Azej points to these three circles, then at the three towers. I suppose the circles have to do with the towers, but I didn’t know this area as well as Azej did. I turn to the nearby imprint of a child and reach out, wondering if their memory could provide some insight.</p><p>Waiting for a return. Hope is lost.</p><p>Well that was useless. I can’t exactly complain about this, however, as this spirit finally breaks through, out my back, surging light into my cape. I stumble, not expecting the addition to my wings. Azej laughs as I toddle around, before coming forward to help steady me. I feel awash with light, and I grab their hand as I suddenly take flight, zipping across the clouds.</p><p>I feel the power drain, but I still feel so warm. Azej’s presence keeps me even warmer. The clouds furrow lightly under our weight, cut through by the wind curling under our wings. Azej gently tugs on me to take control, steering me toward the leftmost medium island. </p><p>We land at the base of the tower, and Azej lets go of my hand to investigate the tower. It seems to have been overtaken by odd, blue-black plants. I reach out to touch one and Azej smacks my hand down without looking at me. I squawk, but turn away, scuffing my foot through the grass.</p><p>I decide to wander down the path away from Azej as they fiddle with the tower. I hop down the stairs, pausing to light a few candles and scoop up the wax. I pause at an odd platform of stone. There’s more sigils carved into this stone, like the one on the small island. Five circles, connected by lines to two concentric circles roughly in the middle. It made no sense to me, no matter how I tilted my head, so I continued down the hill.</p><p>I light a few more candles at the base of the hill and look to my right. There’s a door, with two crystals embedded in it. I tilt my head, stepping forward to provide the crystal with light as I had for the door in the temple. The crystal glows, but the door does not open. I look at the other crystal, unlit, and tuck my candle back in my chest.</p><p>I flap once to reach the top of the door, sticking my top half over the edge and hanging there while I honk to get Azej’s attention. Azej lets go of the weed they were pulling in surprise, and goes tumbling down the hill. I wince in sympathy, but they soon come to see what’s up.</p><p>I hold my candle up to one crystal, and point to the other. Azej stands there for a moment, putting it together, jumping when they realize what I mean. They hold their candle out to the other crystal, and the door slowly grinds open.</p><p>Poking our heads inside, I quickly realize that the blue light coming from within is a spirit. I jump in, nearly tripping over Azej, in my rush to see the spirit. Azej follows after me, but nearly falls as I run past them again, chasing the spirit out the door. They laugh, clearly happy to see me excited about something, instead of withdrawn like before.</p><p>I dash up the hill, following the spirit’s imprint on this land. A pair of figures outlined in blue carry a metal object- a bell?- up the hill, taking a break part way up. So these were the people that built these towers- but why? For what? Driven by my curiosity, I run faster, taking the carved steps in the hillside at a bound.</p><p>I slow to a stop as I reach the top, walking up to the spirit’s blackened corpse and setting it alight. They turn into a blinding beacon of light before bursting, releasing their last imprint. I stare intently at the spirits as they heave the image of the bell into place. One of them- the one with pigtails, like Azej- claps their delight at the completed tower as it rings out into the valley. I mimic the action, and the spirit fades away.</p><p>I stare. That didn’t answer anything.</p><p>Azej’s clapping, echoing my own, calls me out of my unsatisfied curiosity. I wave my hands at the tower, wanting them to explain, but they can only stare, not sure what I was asking of them. Frustrated, I kick at a rock and stub my toe. I sit and nurse the wound, my back to Azej while I seethe in my own dissatisfaction. I then notice that the stone I kicked was no ordinary stone. It was another semi-circle of stone, with the stubs of candles pitting its surface.</p><p>I fumble to express my thoughts to my friend, hands quickly cupping the form of a candle into existence. Azej walks over, peering at my work. I lay out my frustrations to show to my friend, standing up and moving back so they could view the candle and make their reply.</p><p>what are these towers for?</p><p>Azej looks at me, then down at the candle. They rub at the back of their neck, scuffing their foot in the grass. I feel my flame sink- they don’t know, do they? This world, and all of its mysteries, evade them as much as they do me. I look down, trying not to let my disappointment show to my friend. A small flame flickers into life.</p><p>Its easier if i show you</p><p>I look at Azej questioningly, and they offer their hand. I take it, and they walk me away from our pair of candles, and toward the tower. They drop my hand there, and I watch as they clamber up its stone side, holding out their candle. Their flame incinerates the vines and leaves clinging to its surface, until the monument stood clean and proud.</p><p>They slide down backwards, landing on the ground with a little bump. They walk back around to the front of the tower, waving me closer as they approach the alcove holding a small altar and three candles. I watch as they burn away a few more plants, then light the three candles in the middle. I jump with surprise as the tower suddenly leaps to life, the bell spinning and tolling out its joy of life.</p><p>Azej leads me to the edge of the cliff, and points out a pair of manta bursting free from the sea of clouds. They sing a reply to the bells, dipping and spinning in delight. Excited by the sight, I flap my wings by my side, not hard enough to gain any height. Azej laughs and pulls me forward, kicking off and soaring to the next island.</p><p>We land lightly on the dock by another spirit. I lay my hand on it, and we let the spirit guide our way up the hill. We pass by a broken boat carrying a reminder of lost souls. I tuck the wax away studiously, gaining an approving nod from Azej. My legs ache by the time we reach the top of the hill, but the ghost seems as spirited as ever. They mount the last few steps of the crumbled, grass-carpeted surface of a boat, and there their corpse rests. I hold my candle out.</p><p>As the corpse burns, I see them, clinging to the spire of the tower and polishing the golden metal. They are interrupted from their work by a passing boat, laden with a jumble of jars full of light. The sailor waves to the tower cleaner, who excitedly waves back. The memory fades.</p><p>So that was what the motion was that Azej used to greet me earlier. This hardly matters to me- I am preoccupied with thoughts of boats full of jars full of light. Why was the light being taken to the temple? What was done with the light? Where did they get the light from?</p><p>A sudden clanging stirs me from my thoughts. Azej has cleaned the weeds off this tower, and the bell rings gleefully, whirring around in place. Azej backs up to look up at me, and I wave to them before watching a flock of birds burst from the clouds, joining the mantas as they fly around the village.</p><p>The towers must summon the animals. A place full of song is a place full of life. Did the people really build towers just to hail the animals? Or were the animals simply returning, thinking that there are people once more to feed them? There’s still a tower left to go. I wish I had some seed to toss to the birds.</p><p>I hop down from my perch and follow Azej down the slope towards the next island. Several broken boats make it a tedious climb, but a handful of candles at the base seem worth the descent. Azej waves me backwards, gesturing to a door wrought into the side of the hill. It’s another door that needs two to open, so I take my candle out and head over.</p><p>Inside is a spirit and a half-finished boat sitting in what seemed to be both a workshop and a home. Azej gathers candle wax from around the room while I follow the spirit’s motions. I watch them prattle around the space, but I’m examining their tools more closely than their actions. Everything seemed to be made of stone. Even the boat.</p><p>I run my fingers over the boat’s surface, standing still. Were the boats carved, or were they sculpted? Had they been made of some other material that turned to stone? The mallets seemed to imply the form had been chiselled away, but why was there only half a boat? How would they attach the two halves together?</p><p>The spirit yawns and tosses itself into bed, prompted by the butterfly they use as light. I mimic the yawn. This day has exhausted me, and yet my mind still won’t rest. I turn to leave, joining Azej at the end of the dock outside the work home.</p><p>There’s a few more candles here. I grab them before Azej whisks me off across the clouds to the final tower. The ground here is much more bumpy- I have to climb the hill at leaps and bounds, as Azej landed us only halfway up the slope so we could collect some candle wax. I still didn’t understand the purpose, but I knew that I almost had enough for… Something.</p><p>Azej shows me how to burn the plants away from the tower. I climb over the lower portions, clinging to the rough stone to keep my balance. Once the tower was clean, Azej lit the altar, and the final tower came to life.</p><p>The world held its breath for a moment.</p><p>The birds came bursting forth in a flurry of motion. The clouds heaved and gave way as four massive mantas, their wingspans easily wider than the islands were tall, answered the call of the bells. I stared in shock at the massive creatures with their powerful wings. A blur of movement caught my eye just in time for me to watch Azej leap from the island</p><p>and onto a manta’s back.</p><p>They cling to the thick, muscled beast, which gives a call in greeting. Azej waves to me as the manta completes one final loop of the village, then goes soaring up toward the temple. If I don’t act quickly, I might never see my friend again.</p><p>Steeling my nerves, I crouch and take flight. I will my limbs to stop shaking as I fly directly toward the broad, white surface of one of the mantas. A simple mistake could get my wings torn from my back. I throw myself onto the manta’s back, grabbing at its shoulders before I can slide off the slick surface.</p><p>And I fly.</p><p>The manta takes me over the village, barely having to move its wings to support my weight. We coast upwards, not even brushing the clouds. I can feel the manta’s light beneath me, feeding me, intertwined with me. Though I should be terrified about where this beast could take me, I feel safe. I feel connected.</p><p>The manta drops me off at the entrance to the temple. Azej is waiting there, glowing bright as daylight. They throw their arms around me in a hug, laughing their excitement. I hug them back, my limbs still feeling like water. It was pretty fun.</p><p>Azej and I walk into the temple.</p><p>Pots clutter the dark room. A shaft of sunlight illuminates the likeness of an elder statue, alone on the grassy hill. I squeeze Azej’s hand tighter, the cool air in the room tempting us both to turn around and fly away as fast as we can. I walk forward, entering the tomb proper. I’d already danced with ghosts and corpses. The bleakness of this room wouldn’t sway me.</p><p>I light candles as I go. My reservoir seems fit to burst now, but I’m too entranced by the elder statue to ask Azej what to do next. I approach the elder, lay my offering of light upon their altar, and kneel down to meditate before them. Azej kneels by my side, though they still reach for my hand, seeking my comfort. I squeeze their hand lightly and close my eyes.</p><p>A great form slumbers beneath a dark, tumultuous sky. As my light disturbs them from their sleep, they rise, letting a heavy pot clang to the ground. They rise on unsteady limbs, and give a great big stretch, easing aching limbs into motion. They turn to investigate what disturbed them, and look down at me in soft surprise. They crouch down, looking at the three feeble candle flames laid out for them as if they were the most precious lives to ever breathe. They gather them gingerly in their hands, cupping them close to their chest. Their robes illuminate with diamond patterns, and they seem relieved at the return of their light. They press their palms together, the light held tight within, and when their fingers draw back, a little butterfly sits in their palm. The butterfly flits about the void for a moment to test their new existence before resting on the elder’s shoulder. They offer the mouth of their jar, inviting the butterfly to rest inside the cool clay. The butterfly disappears inside, and the elder sets the pot down with a clang.</p><p>The room erupts with butterflies.</p><p>Azej and I stand back to back as the light streams out of pots all over the room, fluttering upwards with great hurry. They fill the room like a thousand stars, stretching their wings after their long sleep. I grip Azej’s hands tightly. There was no way all those butterflies had simply been peacefully sleeping before that moment. The room had been too still, too undisturbed. Still, the butterflies pour out.</p><p>I feel Azej take a deep breath behind me, and call out.</p><p>The butterflies whisk us upward with a quick twirl. They carry us up, out of the darkness of that room and onto the ledge where the sunlight came pouring in. We land lightly, and Azej gives me a reassuring look before we carry on into the light of day, hand in hand, in an unspoken promise to face whatever comes next in life together.</p>
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